The present invention relates to a new squash (Cucurbita pepo) cultivar designated squash line PN294. All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated by reference.
There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety or hybrid an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. These important traits may include increased head size and weight, higher seed yield, improved color, resistance to diseases and insects, tolerance to drought and heat, and better agronomic quality.
Practically speaking, all cultivated forms of squash belong to genus Cucurbita that is grown for its edible fruit. As a crop, squash, whether summer or winter squash, are grown commercially wherever environmental conditions permit the production of an economically viable yield. Both are harvested by hand. Squash usually develop a running vine on the soil but today's summer squash have been developed in the form of a short compact bush, making them easier to grow in smaller spaces. On healthy winter squash plants, there is a canopy of large, reniform and serrated leaves, which may be without lobes or with very deep ones. Fruit flesh can be of various shade of yellow, or even from white to orange. The fruits may have a soft or a hard shell with colors from dull to bright. Summer squash show a great variety of shape, cylindrical, long, flat, etc., with sizes from small to large and colors from uniform to variegated. The flesh can range from white to yellow and, contrary to the winter squash that has a flesh finely grained, bear coarse grains. In the United States, the principal fresh market squash growing regions are Florida, California and Michigan which produce approximately 22,000 acres out of a total annual acreage of more than 43,000 acres (USDA, 2013). Fresh squash are available in the United States year-round although the greatest supply is from June through October. Summer squash are consumed immature as table vegetables and winter squash are used when ripe as table vegetable or in pie.
Cucurbita pepo is a member of the family Cucurbitaceae. The Cucurbitaceae is a family of about 125 genera and 960 species, mostly of the tropics. The family includes pumpkins, squash, gourds, watermelon, loofah and several weeds. The genus cucurbita, to which the squash belongs, includes four major species, pepo, argyrosperma, moschata, and maxima, one minor species, ficifolia, and some wild ones. Cross-pollination is near complete among the different cucurbita species. This offers breeders a great potential for inter-specific crosses using conventional breeding procedures. Cucurbita pepo L. refers to what is commonly known as the summer squash such as scallop, zucchini, straightneck and crookneck types and winter squash such as acorn and pumpkin. The term squash itself has a rather large meaning Generally, it can be said that if the plant produce fruits to be harvested in an immature stage, they are called summer squash, and if the fruits are to be harvested at maturity, they are called winter squash.
Squash is a simple diploid species with twelve pairs of highly differentiated chromosomes. The plants are monoecious, with separate female and male flowers on the same plant. Usually the first four or five flowers produced are male, then the next eight or so are female, followed by a few more male and female flowers. Male flowers have 3-5 erect stamens bunched within the corolla of 5 fused petals. Female flowers have 3 spreading stigma lobes and an immature fruit (ovary) below the perianth. The spiny, sticky pollen requires insects for pollination. The primary pollinators are bees, particularly honey bees. Pollination generally occurs in the morning after the flowers open.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.